A GABF 2001 Gold Medal winner, this brew yields a prominent aroma of fresh grains with some bready, caramelish notes, maple syrup, hints of coffee, a nutty-note similar to almonds, and just a kiss of spicy, citrusy hops. On the palate, expect a blend of lightly bitter hops, burnt toast, and above all, a rich, sweet, nutty character (think hazelnuts and almonds). There's a ghost note of coffee at the intro to the finish, which gives way to a back-of-the-tongue bitterness that balances the sweet malty notes through the fade. Lighter bodied but full of flavor. Enjoy with a cheese plate featuring aged gruyere, camembert, and morbier melted over pumpernickel bread wedges. If you're looking to improve your beer tasting experience, or if you're among our many members who hold regular beer (and food) tasting sessions with guests (yes, you are the life of the party!)—consider joining our Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club—cheese and microbrewed, flavorful beer complement one another extraordinarily well, better than wine and cheese according to many. Check out www.monthlyclubs.com for more details.

About the Brewery

When Frederick Bensch and Kevin McNerney started dreaming up their brewery plans, they quickly realized that their home base in Colorado already had plenty of microbrewed beer on tap. Their workaround? Sell nearly everything they owned, pack up their few remaining worldly possessions and drive to a place with a little less competition; a state that placed 48th in the nation in terms of beer production; a market as soft as a fresh Georgia peach: Georgia, of course.

It was in Atlanta, Georgia, that Frederick and Kevin founded the SweetWater Brewing Company. Their ambition wasn't simply driven by pie-in-the-sky dreaming. These fellas worked at no fewer than 7 microbreweries in Northern California and Colorado—heartlands of microbrewed nectars—before making the journey. They may also have been major potheads, but we’re not sure… Hmmm… Working in Northern California? References to the brewery as their “pipe dream”? Naming their flagship beer ‘420 Extra Pale Ale’? The fact that the brewery opens for tours each day at exactly 4:20pm? Or the fact that it took six requests for their slacker asses to send us the specs on their beers? Well, they deny any connection and chalk it all up to the fact that the references to this stoner code for pot are actually due to the fact that the beer was first brewed on April 20th, 1997. Did they choose that date accidentally? If there’s any connection, they’re not owning up to it.

The SweetWater Brewing Company opened its doors on February 17, 1997. In 2002 they were recognized as Small Brewery of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival. Need more convincing? (You haven't tried the beer yet, have you?) They were the second most decorated brewery in the world at the 1998 World Beer Cup.

For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (404) 691-ALES or check out their web site at www.sweetwaterbrew.com.

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